Sankt Bartholomä lies in a peaceful hilly landscape of meadows, forest paths and small settlements. There are several ways to shape your stay: signposted chapel trails, churches and exhibitions about Hanns Koren, a cycle route through the village, and local wine and snack culture. Deciding which of these aspects you would like to focus on can help you choose Sankt Bartholomä as a travel destination.
Chapel trails and hilly landscapes
The Bartholomä chapel trails pass 27 religious markers or field monuments and comprise four circular routes with a pilgrimage-like character. They are signposted and run mostly along municipal roads and surfaced paths. The combination of several circular routes and religious markers gives these trails a distinct thematic focus.
The also-signposted Sankt Bartholomä Wunderwanderweg (Wonder Hiking Trail) runs mostly along surfaced paths and forest tracks and can be walked in either direction. The Reiteregg Easter Cross Chapel is a featured stop along the way. The hiking options offer different highlights: the chapel trails focus on several circular routes and religious markers, while the Wonder Hiking Trail features the chapel as a prominent stop.
Cycling and cultural history
The moderately difficult Lieboch Valley Cycle Route R56 is 36.0 kilometres long and passes through Sankt Bartholomä. There is an e-bike charging station in the village along the cycle route. This offers a longer cycling route as a separate reason to visit, alongside the local hiking trails.
The “Old Church” was built in the Romanesque style and expanded in the Late Gothic period; it probably dates from the early 13th century. An inscription in the church refers to the year 1239, which is considered the oldest evidence of the existence of the municipality of Sankt Bartholomä. The parish church in Sankt Bartholomä was built between 1864 and 1867. The village’s history thus encompasses different building periods, from the presumed dating of the Old Church to the church built in the 19th century.
The permanent “Korenstub´n” exhibition about Hanns Koren is located in the bell tower of the “Old Church.” The Hanns Koren Museum presents his multifaceted life through personal belongings, documents and informative texts. The Bartholomä bowling alley offers another cultural point of interest: the traditional game of skill Luahmbudln is played on a restored, heritage-protected bowling lane.
Wine, snacks and the village association festival
Buschenschänken in Sankt Bartholomä invite you to sample wines from Sankt Bartholomä, served with a hearty Jaus’n (snack platter). The “Aufbartholomäern” village association festival is also part of the local events calendar: it has been held in Sankt Bartholomä since 2009, with music and food at its centre. If you would like the festival to determine your travel dates, check the dates in advance.
Whether you would like to shape your stay around the chapel trails, local history, a cycling tour or regional wine and Jaus’n offerings, Sankt Bartholomä has a range of clearly distinct themes to choose from. You can weigh these according to your own interests when choosing accommodation and planning your stay.
Discover more destinations: Semriach, Graz, Gratkorn, Premstätten, Frohnleiten, Sankt Peter, Lieboch, Kalsdorf Bei Graz
See the main travel overview: Graz-Umgebung.
